Brick-handling machine.



PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.12. 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOH5 WILLIAM H. FRRNms, CHARLES FRnwcls,

A TTOHNEYS No. 890,586. PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908.

' W. H. & G. FRANCIS. BRICK HANDLING MACHINE.

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C' 0 CE 1.2: d d a d 0? (2 I WITNESSES F 'INVENTORJ f WILLIAM H. FRANms,

CHARLES FRANCIS,

BY ATTORNEYS v PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908. w. H. & c. FRANCIS.

BRICK HANDLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.12, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

" amill W/TNESSES I INVENTOH5 I ILLIAM H. FRANCIS 6 v I CHARLES FRANCIS,

UNITED. STATES PATIEN Enron.

OF INDEPEN DEN CE, 7

BRICK-HANDLING riiacnrrrn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 9, i969 Application filed December 12, 1907. serial No.ecaeae.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM II. FRAN- CIS and CHARLES FRANCIS, citizensof the United States, and residents of herryvale, 1n the county ofltioutgomery and State of Kansas, and Independence, in the county ofMontgomery and State of Kansas, respectively, have invented anImprovement in Brick-Handling Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

In the patent granted William II. Francis, July 9, 1907, No. 859,445,there is shown and described a machine for handling bricks in bulk,whereby a pile of bricks, stacked up in accordance with a re-arrangedorder, may be picked'up in hul and transported to another point withoutbreaking bulk. This machine requires the bricks to be stacked up withuniform spaces between the bricks of the'basic layer so as to permitlifting arms to enter these. spaces to carry the. superposed load, Whilethe basic layer was also picked up and carried along with the superposedload by the lateral pinching action of clam plates below the liftingarms. When such load of bricks are set down again, the basic layer ofbricks rests upon the floor to support the superposed bricks withoutimprlsonin the llfted arms against the floor,

so that t a lifting arms could be easily withdrawn in horizontaldirection without being held by the pinching weight of the load.

The present invention comprises novel means for doing this same work,and it consists in the im roved construction and arrangement of t eparts which we will now proceed to describe with reference to thedrawing, in which Figure 1 represents a .pers ectiveview of the rear oft e-emachine.- ig. 2 is a perspective view taken from the front and sowing the stack of bricks as picked up and suspended on the machine fortransportation by a suitable crane or other lifting device. 3 is a rearelevation of the machine on a rger scale. Fig. 4 is .a partial side viewof the same partly broken away.

Figs. 5 and 5" are horizontal sections through one of the clam platestaken on line 55.0f Fig. 4, showing the closed and open positionsrespectively, and Fi 6 and 6 are enlarged vertical sections t rou h aclamp plate on line 66 of Fig. 4,1 1 6 showing the clamp plates closed,and Tig. 6 showing them open or expanded for clamping the bricks wheninserted into the spaces between the bricks of the basic la er.Referring to Fig. 2 which shows a stac r of bricks held in suspensionupon our machine, it will be perceived that the bricks of the. basiclayer are spaced apart a uniformdistance of about one inch. Into thesespaces are projected lifting arms which consist ofvcrtical platesattached at one edge rigidly to an upright and braced frame, and free atthe other edge. This upright frame seen in Fig. 1, is of a generallytriangular shape, and 'consistssee Fig. 3of the two inclined bars A, A,a central vertical bar-A vertical stra s A, A, a transverse andhorizontal bar two triangular frames A, A and a base bar. A. All ofthese parts are rigidly bolted, together to form a unitary framestructure, and it has attached to its side bars A, A, upwardly extendingwings or. loops 0, 0. To the apex of this triangular frame there ispivoted upon the stout bolt (1, a short lever section B, which on itslong end is rovided. with an eye C to receive the lifting hook from atraveling crane. The short lever B has a limited movement on itsfulcrumc, which is determined by a shaped link D connected at one end tothe arne A, and at the other end embracing a bolt 6. When the liftinstrain is applied to thee e C, the lever B ti ts upon its fulcrum a witthe bolt- 6 reaches the upper end of the linkD, At this time the lever Band the mainframe A become rigidly sus ended. The initialup=. wardmovement 0 the lever B is made to erform certain work at-the lower endof the hams for clam in described, and or-t is purpose the short end oflever B is connected to two thrust bars. E; E. These thrust bars E arepivoted at, their lower ends to the inner arms of two elbow levers F, F.These levers are fill-.- crumed u on a bolt 1, betweenthe crossbar.v Aand the vertical straps A. The lower. members of the elbow levers F areprovided. with suitable hooks which are connectedta file opposite endsof a spiraltension spring;

At a oint between the fulcrum r of each lever and its lower end, thereis pivot-silty? connected a lift rod E. This lift rodpass ss through ahorizontal lift bar it, and applies its lifting strain to a series ofcoil springs [3. These coil springs d surround vertical stems c, andhear at their upper ends against screwnuts 0, so that when t the bricksas hereaft Y e lifting strain of the bar I is applied through thesprings d each one of the vertical stems c.

shape as seen 1n Fig. 4, and is provided on its opposite'sides with twoelastic plates m, m secured at their upper edges to the lifting arm M,and at their lower edges free to be sprung apart and away from eachother. At a point near the bottom'of these spring plates 'm, m saidplates are provided with inward projections m, m m of a wedge shape asseen in Figs 5 and 5. There are two of these projections m at onone sidealternating wlththe one 'm on the other side, m

assing between m, m when closed as in ig'. 6, so as to give a greaterexpansion. Pivoted to each one of the disk-shaped hubs K there is awedge shaped thrust bar L,which enters an opening in the end of therectangular lift arms M, and penetrates between the spring lates m, m toa point of engagement with t e inward projections m,m en this thrust barL is projected inwardly between such spring plates,its wedge shaped endpassing between the projections m, 'm

thrusts them apart as shown in Fi s. 5 an 6, .and consequently increasest e lateral dimensions of said spring plates, which causes them to formclamp plateswhich extional engaglement. contact wit Banding against thesides of the bricks of the asic layer--seen in Fig. 2causes the bricksof this layer to be pinc ed with a lateral fric- The rigid arms M restin the bricks above the basic layer, and when lifted, lift thesuperposed weight of the bricks above, while ex anding action of theclamp plates between t e bricks of the basic layer pinches and holds thebricks of said basic layer with sufficient tightness as to maintain theunity of this basic layer along with the superposed bricks, ermittmgthem all to be' transported in bulk intact.

When the machine is to be applied to a stack of bricks whose basic layeris spaced apart as before described, it is held in suspension by thecrane, and is bodily thrust laterally against the stack of bricks insuch position as to cause its several lifting arms to enter the spacesbetween the bricks of the basic layer, and for such manipulation a longloop-shaped handle P is attac ed to the base frame A a To cause a morecertain adhesion between the clamp plates and the bricks of the basiclayer, the lower portions of the spring plates :m are provided withsmall proiections m, which embed themselves slight y into the strain forcarrying the bricks without producing any damaging effect thereon.

From the foregoing seen that the principal ortion of the lifting therigid arms M, and that the initial lifting movement expands and sets theclamp plates to pinching engagement with, the bricks. This initiallifting movement, transmitted through the lever B, puts a downwardthrust on the two thrust bars E, E-see Fig. 3. These throw the innerends of the elbow levers F down, spreading the spring G under tension,and pu ling upwardly the lift rods H, H, and the horizontal lift bar I.This lift bar 1 applies its lifting strain through the coil springs d inan elastic manner to the stems c, and these in turn rotate partially thedisk hubs K and project the s reading bar L between the two members ofthe clamp plate. The coil springs d in this connection exercise animportant function in that they give elastically an individual expansiveaction to each clamp plate, so as to cause any one clamp plate to expandto the full size of its space existing between the bricks of the basiclayer, independently of the other spreading device, and thus compensatesfor variations in the width of the spaces between the bricks of thebasic la er. This insures that all the bricks of the asic layer will bevpinched and held whether of uniform spacing or not.

We claimv 1. A machine for handling bricks, comoad is sustained by.

description,-it will be prising a vertically disposed frame, laterallyextended arms carried by the lower end of said frame, ex ansible clamplates arranged beneath each aterally exten ed arm, means for expandingsaid .clam plates, and means for operating the same y the initialmovement of the lifting strain.

2. A machine for' handling bricks, 05m

prising a vertically diaposed frame, laterally extended arms carrie bythe lower end of said frame, expansible clamp lates arranged beneatheach aterall extended arm, means for expandingsaid 0 amp plates, meansfor operatlng the same by the initial movement 0 the lifting strain, andan individual lifting spring inte' osed in the train of the expandingdevices or each clamp late.

3. A machine for han mg bricks, comprising a vertically difiposed frame,laterally extended armscarrie by the lower end of said frame, ex ansibleclamp lates arranged beneath'each aterall extended arm, means forexpanding said 0 amp plates, means for operating the same, by the mitialmovement 0 the lifting strain, an individual lifting spring inte osed inthe train of-the expanding devices or each clamp plate, and a horizentallift bar connected to and a pl the lift strain simultaneously to all ofsaid ing sprmgs.

ally projecting lifting arms and clamping 5 plates at the lower ends,and offsetting and st-eadying wings arranged at the upper end of thetriangular frame.

' 5. A machine for handling bricks, comprising a vertical frame, withlaterally rolower ends, said plates being made of two expansiblemembers, a wedge shaped thrust bar arranged ,to be projected betweensaid expanding members, a horizontal shaft having loose hubs with crankpins connected to said thrust bars, and lifting devices'arranged torotate said loose hubs.

6. A machine for handling bricks, comprising a vertical frame, withlaterally roecting lifting arms, clamping plates at t eir lower ends,said plates being made of two expansible members, a wedge-shaped thrustbar arranged to be projected between said expanding members, ahorizontal shaft havin loose hubs with crank pins connected. to saidthrust bars, and lifting devices arranged to rotate said loose hubs,said lifting devices consisting of stems attached to the loose hubs,each having a nut atits upper end, and a s iral spring wound around the.stem below t e nut, a horizontal lift bar bearing upwardly against allof said springs, lift rods connected to said lift bars, spring actuatedlevers connected to the lift rods, and thrust 5 bars for the leversarranged to be projected downwardly by the lifting strain 7. in amachine for handling bricks, the combination with the upright frame, ofrigid laterally projecting lift arms having on their opposite sidesspring plates free at their lower edges and provided with inwardproectlons, and a wedge shaped thrust bar arranged to beprojectedbetween the spring plates to expand the same;

8. in a machine for handling bricks, the combination with the uprightframe, of rigid laterally projecting li t arms having on ecting liftingarms, clamping plates at t eir prising their op rsite sides springplates free at their lower e ges and provided with inward pro-.jections, and a wedge shaped thrust bar arranged to be projectedbetween the s ring lates to expand the same, said spring p atesEeingformed along theirlower edges with external projections adapted to.clutch the bricks. 9. Ina machine for handling bricks, an uprighttriangular frame comprising two equa tache to the lower ends of thesame, triangular'brace frames arranged at the lower ends of the inclinedside bars between the same and the base bar, a horizontal transverse barl inclined side bars, a base bar atarranged above the base bar, leverspivoted thereto, means for producing a thrust upon said levers,liftinrods attached to the levers, a horizontal lift bar attached to the liftrods, a series of horizontally projecting lifting arms for the base bar,expansible clamp lates arranged below the same, and means orindividually expanding1 the same by the upward movement of the ft rod. t

10. A machine for handling bricks, .com-

an upright frame havin at itslower end laterally projecting ifting arms,and clam plates arranged beneath the same, and in t e same planetherewith, a lifting device for the frame,and means for utilizing theinitial movement of the lifting device for the ex ansion of the clamplates. 3 11. n a machine for handing bricks, the

